I Don't Hate You
by Kristonio
Summary: Continuation from the final episode of the anime, 102. Hayama Akito earns his black belt in karate and Kurata Sana must keep her promise. What does she have to tell Hayama?
1. Default Chapter

A/N: That's right this is going to be a multi-chaptered continuation of the Sana/Hayama story that the anime leaves off at episode 102. Why has there been so little work on this storyline people? This is a fairly old show that I think is one of the more charming and original stories. The dynamic between the young couple is memorable and always highly-charged. I hope you enjoy it, but I warn you that readers who have not seen almost all the episodes won't understand what's going on in this story. I make allusions to several past episodes, but I don't find it necessary to explain them all in detail. Email me if you find any of them confusing, I understand that this series isn't as widely available as other anime shows. Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. ENJOY!

A cold wind blew across the roof of the old north wing of Jinbo Junior High School, two lone figures staring at each other for a few moments until the girl spoke, "Hayama, after you pass your black belt test tomorrow, there's something I need to tell you." The boy across from her silently nodded his head, trying to read the hidden meaning in her words. With one last smile, the girl turned around and walked through the doorway leading down a staircase. The boy followed her retreating form with his penetrating, emotionless gaze until she disappeared from view. He then uttered one quiet word, "Sana..."

Hayama Akito age 14 turned his eyes back to the scenic view of the city contemplating Kurata's words. "I have something to tell you..." To anyone else, those words might have indicated nothing special, but only Hayama realized the full weight of their meaning. They had been through so much over the past year, so much heart break and bitter disappointment that he almost longed for the days when they were still sixth graders. Back then it had only been the two of them and nothing in between. Of course that would also mean that that airhead Kurata would have still been blissfully ignorant of his feelings for her and he silently wishing he could kiss her anytime he wanted without getting whacked on the head by her toy mallet. But with a mental grimace, Hayama admitted she had been pushed into reality too harshly. She had traded sweet naiveté of love for heartache. One of the things he liked most about her was her cheerful and innocent nature. When he had first met her two years ago, she had done her best to make his life better and ease his own inner turmoil. To watch her experience her own personal hardships this year had hurt him as much as it did her. It seemed unreal to see her constant happy grin slip off her face, the light in her eyes dim with pain.

Another cold wind blew suddenly over the rooftop, shaking Hayama from his silent reverie, reminding him he could not stand there in solitude too long. The tall lanky youth made his way thoughtfully and slowly down the stairs and wandered the deserted halls to his locker, pulling out his books and folded karate uniform. He then walked down the street in the direction of the dojo, his always serious face impassive to his surroundings.

Later that day Hayama walked home from karate practice, the sun just beginning to set behind his shoulder as he walked down the sidewalk toward his house. He was ready for tomorrow. He could feel his strength and skill of movement every time he practiced now, the black belt within his grasp. Hayama treasured the afternoons he spent at the dojo, for while he preformed the complicated steps and moves, karate burned through his brain. There was no time to dwell on any other thoughts while he practiced, all of his concentration occupied in coordinating his muscles in stretching in the fluid movements of the ancient martial art. No time to think about the pair of hazel eyes that followed him everywhere...

Kurata Sana, age 13 years old woke up disoriented the next morning, slamming her hand down on her alarm clock to get the silly Hawaiian pig to stop dancing and singing. She glanced sleepily over to look at the time, and then with a screech that rocked the whole house to its foundation, leaped out of bed, managing to get dressed in her school uniform in under ten seconds flat.

"I'M LAAAAAAAATE!!!!!" she screamed, running down the stairs while kicking up a cloud of dust behind her. "Good morning Mama! Good morning Maro-chan!" Sana said running up to the dining room table, sitting down to stuff her mouth full of breakfast as quickly as possible.

"Ah, good morning daughter. I thought I heard Shimura-san say that she has your lunch prepared for today," said Kurata-sensei in her usual calm and detached voice. Maro-chan, her pet squirrel, was dressed in a karate uniform and going through the motions of a complicated martial arts routine in front of a tiny dojo nestled precariously in Kurata-sensei's hair.

"Thanks Mama, I gotta ruuuuun!" yelled Sana as she swallowed the last bite of her breakfast. The hyper 13 year-old then dashed into the kitchen, grabbed her packed lunch, and ran at top speed out the front door of the Kurata's expensive mansion.

Eight blocks later, Sana was still running faster than the speed of sound, trying to reach the front gates of her junior high school before the bell sounded. Of course, not watching where she was going in her haste, the clumsy girl smashed head long into what felt like a brick wall. "AAAAHHHHH!" Her head was pounding in a punishing rhythm from the crash. Sana opened her eyes slowly only to notice she was lying on top of Hayama Akito, who looked just as stunned to be suddenly lying on the ground. Sana suddenly looked down and realized all of her limbs had somehow become entangled with Hayama's and she blushed a deep red in embarrassment. "Oh no," she thought, "why did this have to happen now??!!" She was lying in a very compromising position with the very boy who had been consuming her thoughts for the past year. Last night she had lain awake in bed, thinking of exactly what she would say to him once he received his black belt. Would he return her feelings? Did he still feel the same as he said he did that day they stood in front of the clinic?

"Kurata?" mumbled Hayama in confusion as he suddenly realized who had caused him to land on the hard sidewalk. Sana wanted to move but felt herself paralyzed in shock, unable to look away from those deep hazel eyes. When had things changed? She used to be so comfortable around Hayama in sixth grade, but now she was so unsure of how he felt about her, she only felt awkward and silly.

Hayama had been walking to school that morning when he had heard someone running behind him, breathing harshly, and obviously in a hurry. The next minute, he was lying on the ground with a heaving Sana on top of him. The first thought that entered his mind as he looked up at the blushing girl was how he wished they could stay like that for awhile. To his immense disappointment, she untangled her long white legs from his and clumsily stood back up.

"Good morning Hayama!" Sana laughed, her hand behind her head and a blush still present on her pale face indicating she was still embarrassed about the fall, "I'm so sorry I didn't see you there!"

"It's nothing," the tall boy replied, gathering his books and getting back up to his feet. "I see you woke up late again."

"Yes but you see I'm two minutes earlier than usual! I think I'm becoming a faster runner!" commented the red-head while doing a couple extra laps around the stoic boy for demonstration.

"Hey Kurata..." Hayama started to say, catching hold of her in mid-stride by the elbow.

"SANA-CHAN!" Aya-chan and Tsyoshi-kun called, walking down the street hand in hand. Sana and Hayama turned in their direction and Sana began waving wildly to her good friends as they approached. "Good morning!" she called back in her usual cheerful voice, "Aren't you two getting here later than usual?" she asked.

"Well we were walking here when we stopped to get a magazine Aya-chan saw on display in front of the grocery store around the corner from her house," replied Tsyoshi.

"Yes, it says here that Naozumi-kun is going to be starring in a new American-funded movie next month!" continued Aya while pointing to the article. Sana's face fell for a brief second at the mention of her ex-boyfriend, but only Hayama noticed it before she quickly covered it up with fake cheerful interest.

"Kamura?" Hayama mumbled, a scowl lightly touching his face at the sound of that pretty-boy's name. He had caused nothing but trouble since he had walked into their lives two years ago; effectively frustrating Hayama's every attempt to get closer to Sana. If it weren't for all that propaganda in the news, and all that time he was spending with her on location for the movies they were filming, he might not have truly believed that Sana had cared for the fool. And he might not have gone out with Fuka..."

"Yes Rei-kun told me something last night about the movie he's doing," Sana's voice interrupted Hayama's silent thoughts on the young actor, "Apparently Naozumi-kun is playing the son of an American spy living in Tokyo with his Japanese wife. His father is assassinated in his home and Naozumi-kun's character goes on the hunt to find his father's killers. It's an action movie that takes place both here and in Los Angeles in America so he's going to have to learn about half his lines in English. Rei-kun told me about it to try and get me to accept a new movie offer, but I told him I'm still taking a break. I still have a lot of school work to catch up on left over from the last six months I spent overseas!" Sana replied.

"So you're going to be staying here then for the rest of the term?" Aya-chan asked excitedly. Hayama also waited in anticipation for her answer, fearing another separation.

"Yes," Sana laughed, "I want to stay here for awhile. I'll start working again soon, but I told Rei-kun I'd only do local projects that mostly fit around my school schedule." Hayama let out a quiet sigh of relief upon hearing her answer.

"I'd like to do another play actually," Sana said putting on a dramatic face and pointing out into space at nothing in particular, "LIVE is best! No room for mistakes in front of a full home!" she declared loudly.

"Umm don't you mean full house Sana-chan?" questioned Tsyoshi-kun while scratching his head in confusion.

At that moment the late bell started chiming and the four friends quickly scrambled to grab all their books and run to class. Aya and Tsyoshi ran ahead, hand in hand while Hayama grabbed Sana's arm before she could barrel out of his reach.

"Kurata" Hayama said, gaining the frantic girl's attention. Sana stopped running with Hayama barely holding on to her and looked around at her long-time friend. "Huh?" she answered.

"After I get my belt today, I'll come by your house. We can talk then ok?" Hayama said, looking seriously into her big brown eyes.

"Ah..alright," Sana replied, a bit of nervousness showing in her voice as she realized what would be happening later that day. The end of the chimes brought the brief moment between the pair to a sudden close as Sana screeched at the top of her lungs, "WE'RE LAAAAAAATE!" and ran off into the school building, pulling Hayama behind her in her destructive wake.

The rest of the school day passed uneventfully, and had ended with Hayama walking down the street to the karate dojo, Sana waving and calling out her good lucks behind him. With a final glance back, Hayama had disappeared around the corner and Sana turned in the opposite direction, making her way thoughtfully back home.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Hey I'm back again! Just a note, if the song Sana sings later in this chapter has any of you confused, it's supposed to be weird. Japanese songs never seem to translate well into English and I think it's funny that since I don't know Japanese and can't appreciate the silly rhymes and rhythms in Sana's songs, I only know they read strangely as subtitles. I tried to recreate the absurdness of her songs in English here in my story just as a little joke! So, "HAPPY HAPPY SMILE SMILE!"

Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Kodocha ï

Sana stood outside the iron gate to her family mansion, waiting under the dim light of the street lamp for her golden-haired friend. She had gone home after school that day, eaten dinner with her mother and Rei-kun, tried to do some of her homework, but had quickly abandoned it for her current post outside. How would she ever work up the nerve to tell Hayama her true feelings? She had realized over eight months ago what Hayama meant to her, but unfortunate events had gotten in the way to true happiness. Why did she have to be so dumb when it came to love? Hayama had told her that day in front of the clinic that he had always loved her, but she had never seen it before then. She had ignored the signs, thinking of him as one of her many friends. How foolish and stupid of her. Only when she had lost Hayama to Fuka had she truly understood how vital he was to her every day life. He was the only one that mattered, the only one that ever truly understood and appreciated her. Now she had a second chance at Hayama, but Sana was feeling more depressed than hopeful. It wasn't in her nature to be pessimistic, but even with Hayama now single, could she really hope that he still loved her? Could he still harbor feelings for her even after she had unconsciously spurned him for the past two years? She wasn't sure, but she knew she had a promise to keep, and that running away last time to New York with Naozumi-kun hadn't worked either. She was going to have to be brave and tell Hayama the whole truth.

At that moment, Hayama Akito turned the corner and came into view. The 14 year-old had gone to his house after karate that day to shower and eat with his family, and now he was walking to Kurata's house to meet her as he had promised. Hayama had passed his belt test with flying colors as he knew he would, and now that he had cleared that hurdle, he allowed himself to think about the next big event in his live. Sana. He had briefly entertained fantasies of what she would say to him, but he would not allow his hopes to rise. Now as he looked down the street, he saw her slight form shivering from the winter night cold as she kept vigil under the street light next to her house.

"Yo," he greeted her as he walked up to stand beside her.

"Hi," she said trying to smile cheerfully, only to have the small grin slip off her face. Hayama noticed her subdued mood and his stomach lurched in nervousness. He then lifted his right hand in front of him, bringing a black cloth belt into view under the yellow glow of the street lamp.

"Oh Hayama, that's great! I knew you would do it!" Sana exclaimed, this time with sincere excitement, hopping up and down and clapping her hands together. She extended her own hand to finger the cloth thoughtfully. "Was the test hard? Have you told your family? What did your father say?" she asked.

"It was nothing," he replied, "and Dad said he was glad....Sana...you wanted to...tell me something?" Hayama asked, his eyes filled with seriousness.

"Hayama..." Sana began, a thrill passing through her when he had used her given name. It sent warmth through her, pushing out the coldness from her body and giving her new courage to tell him everything. "Hayama, I...I..." she stuttered, mesmerized by his hazel eyes, by the unreadable expression in them. God, she had to tell him before this feeling ripped through her chest. It felt like everything about him consumed her until she was almost swallowed up in this..."I love you!" she suddenly exclaimed. She had shocked herself at her sudden directness. Based on Hayama's reaction she assumed he also hadn't been expecting anything this abrupt either.

Had she just said what he thought she just said? Hayama Akito was reeling, time seemed to slow down and he couldn't think straight. "I love you..." Two years of waiting to hear those sweet words from her lips. When they were in sixth grade, he would lay awake at night sometimes, imagining a moment similar to this one, her eyes misted over in emotion as those words rolled off her pink tongue. He had always assumed she would remain an airhead and his fantasy would stay a figment of his imagination. Now she was still an air head, but his fantasy had come true. Hayama suddenly came crashing back to the present, regaining his senses as he saw Sana's face cloud over in worry. She was waiting for, no fearing his reaction. She honestly didn't know how he felt about her.

"Hayama...do you...do you love me too?" Sana asked in a quavering voice once she couldn't stand the heavy silence any longer. She couldn't understand the look he was giving her and she was starting to feel queasy from fear that he might not love her anymore.

"Stupid, dense girl," Hayama rasped, uttering the same words he had used all those months ago in front of the clinic, "Yes, I do," he said, overcoming that small inner voice that told him love confessions were embarrassing and shameful. He had to tell her the truth; she would never guess it on her own without his help.

Sana's blood rushed hot at his words. He had insulted her and then confessed his love for her in the same sentence. That leopard Hayama would never change, but she realized as a few tears started to fall from her eyes, she never wanted him to, ever.

Hayama reached out and brushed the tears from her cheeks. "Why?" he asked, guessing the reason himself, but needing to hear her say it out loud.

"I'm..I'm so happy Hayama!" Sana said, suddenly closing the gap between them and flinging her arms around his waist, sobbing into his chest. She was so relieved that she felt she would never stop crying. Hayama loved her and her own heart swelled at the thought. It was more than she could have dared to hope for half a year ago.

"Sana..." Hayama whispered into her ear, stroking her red hair with one hand, the other snaking around her waist to draw her closer to him. The softer expression in his eyes was the only sign on the stoic boy's face of the intense emotion that he was feeling inside. She was finally his and he knew that he could never let her go again. He would cherish this moment as the culmination of two years of waiting. Kurata Sana was his at last.

"Hayama?" Sana whispered, looking up into his face. "Am I your girlfriend now?" she asked, a shy, slightly childish expression delicately gracing her cute features.

"If you want to be," Hayama stated, a bit unsure of where to go from this point on.

"Yes, I'd very much like to be, if you want me to be that is," Sana replied awkwardly, love shining in her hazel eyes as she looked adoringly up at Hayama. Her face was so close and so pretty. Hayama couldn't control himself any longer and he dipped his head down to catch her soft lips with his own.

Sana was caught off guard for a moment, her big hazel eyes widening in surprise at his actions. He had kissed her before, twice when they were in sixth grade, and once yesterday, but every time he did it, she still couldn't get over her shock of suddenly having her mouth pressed against his. Her first reaction was to step back and whack him with her mallet to cover up her own surprise and fear at the situation, but for the first time, Sana suppressed her childish fears and embraced the new adult feeling that was rushing through her body and making her legs feel weak. She tentatively began to kiss him back, moving her mouth unsurely against his.

She was kissing him back! Hayama's blood rushed hot faster than a lightning bolt through his body as he felt her lips start to react to his, her arms entwining around his neck and her fingers shyly playing in his hair. His grip around her waist tightened as he supported most of her weight, his right hand gently rubbing her back. He could have kept kissing her for hours but she slowly pulled back from his face to gulp fresh air into her lungs. She hesitantly looked up at him as her chest heaved up and down, a light blush painted across her cheeks. He stared at her intensely, trying to burn the image of her before him now into his memory. She had never looked more beautiful as she did now and he felt strange urges pulling at his mind as he looked at her.

Sana couldn't think coherently after that kiss. She gazed up at Hayama, and that deep expression she could see in his eyes was scaring her a little with its intensity. She loved him so much but this part of the experience was completely new to her. She couldn't explain the feelings coursing through her body, or how every inch of her skin felt highly sensitive and in tune with his touch. What was happening to them?

A cold wind suddenly blew down the street making Sana shiver in Hayama's arms. Hayama then noticed that she was only wearing a thin long-sleeved shirt and that the sun had already completely disappeared over the horizon. "Cold?" he asked, rubbing her arms with his hands, creating a warming friction. "Ye..yes," Sana said, her teeth chattering from the cold.

"You should go inside then. It's January and you're standing outside without a coat on," he replied.

"Ok," she said starting to turn around to go into her house. "Hayama?" she said, stopping and turning around to ask him a question.

"Yes?" he said.

"What should I call you now that I'm your girlfriend? I've only called you by your family name ever since I've known you," she said, a silly grin on her face and an awkward blush still spread across her cheeks.

"Akito...I guess," he said just as awkward, still trying to adjust to the idea of their new relationship.

"Ok," she said. Then she suddenly ran and launched herself back into Hayama's arms, whispering in his ear, "I'll see you tomorrow Akito."

Hayama felt his blood heating up again at the sound of her using his birth name, her breath delicately brushing his ear. He squeezed her tightly in an affectionate hug and whispered back, "I'll meet you before school in the court yard. Try not to be too late tomorrow morning. He then kissed her cheek and released her.

Sana gazed up at Hayama for a second longer before nodding and then walking through the iron gates and up to her house, waving after her new boyfriend.

"Good night, I'll try to wake up early," she called after him and then closed the front door behind her.

Sana skipped happily through the house with her Nori Nori machine singing another one of her goofy songs. "_Sana has happiness shine on her face. Do a dance and let the smile show in graceful movements. Happy Happy smile smile, say bi bi to storm clouds!"_

"Sana-chan....SANA-CHAN!" said Rei-kun trying to get Sana's attention amidst the loud singing and chaotic dancing she was performing on the coffee table in the Kurata's large living room.

"_Rei-kun Rei-kun, do a dance. Don't be a frog that wears a frown. Happy Happy smile smile, say bi bi to storm clouds!" _Sana continued singing, trying to get her manager to join in the hectic fun. Sagami Rei started trying to catch hold of Sana to get her to stop dancing and pay attention to him, but the fun-loving girl only pulled out her Burrucha and pressed the button that caused its twin to vibrate wildly in the man's pocket. Now Rei was vibrating with his Burrucha across the living room floor in time to Sana's fast beat, still singing and dancing her happiness for the whole household to hear.

"_No longer a lonely wolf but a crafty leopard, he brings a smile to Sana's face. HAPPY HAPPY SMILE SMILE! HAPPY HAPPY SMILE SMILE!" _Sana ended the song with a wink and one of her wild Komawari spins in the air. Rei slowly stumbled back up to his feet from where he had fallen from the crazy vibrations in his pocket.

"Sana-chan, pleeeeaaaassseee listen to me! I have a great new job offer for a new TV drama. The director wants to cast you as the lead..." Rei started desperately but was quickly cut off by the hyper Sana.

"No time for that Rei-kun! I'm still on break and am feeling H-A-P-P-Y!!!" Sana exclaimed while punching and kicking the air for emphasis and then running back up the stairs to finish her homework.

"But Sana-chan!!! How will I become the greatest manager in Japan if you don't accept any offers? SAAANNNAAA!" Rei-kun called after her while on his knees, tears streaming down his beet-red face and his hands tearing at his hair in frustration.

At that moment, Kurata Misako came driving around the corner in her little red toy car and pulled up next to Sagami Rei. She pulled out her fan from inside her kimono sleeve and held it in front of her face. "Sagami-san, Sana is obviously happy with her life at home and school right now. It would be wise to let her savor this time while it lasts. It is rare that she is allowed to act like a normal young school girl," the famous author said while leaning close to the still sobbing manager.

"Perhaps...you are right Sensei," said the distraught man in between sobs

"Ha! You should use this time to start thinking about a new career if my daughter decides she values this lifestyle over her acting career," the eccentric woman laughed as she drove wildly away in her car, kicking up a cloud of dust behind her. Sagami Rei renewed his crying at Misako's words a depressed blue aura settling around his shoulders.

Mean while upstairs, Sana lay staring up at the ceiling of her room from her bed, her thoughts consumed with nothing but Hayama Akito. She touched her lips with her fingers, remembering what it felt like when he had kissed her so passionately. She was a little surprised that he had shown as much emotion as he had; Hayama was always so reserved and expressionless. It warmed her heart to think he had admitted his love for her, had hugged and kissed her so affectionately. Sana knew the golden-haired boy too well to expect him to act like a typical boyfriend around her. She suddenly burst out laughing at the thought of him blushing and proclaiming his feelings for her like Tsuyoshi-kun did when he was around Aya-chan. No, he would always be Hayama Akito, the same arrogant and disrespectful boy she had hated those first few weeks in sixth grade, the same conflicted and troubled youth she had seen at the Hayama residence, and the same earnest and perceptive boy who had comforted her on several occasions. She desperately hoped they would never be parted, that he would always be a part of her life from now on.

Several blocks away, the very same 14 year-old boy sat on his window sill, gazing out into the darkness and thinking only of her. How had he fallen for such a goof-ball? Despite her often spastic and hyper behavior, Hayama knew her core. She was cheerful and optimistic by nature, seemingly his opposite, but their experiences together had made them reveal their own deepest wishes and insecurities to each other. No one else knew him the way she did, and he could see through the talented actress's layers to her real feelings. She kept him from slipping into despair and moodiness, making his life brighter than he could do on his own, and she needed him to guide her through life when her innocence or optimism kept her from seeing the real world. They saved each other time and time again, and he realized now that the only times that he truly felt like himself was when he was with her. He silently resolved that nothing else in life would separate them ever again. They belonged together, and after the revelations tonight, he didn't think he could survive another day without her.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Ok guys thanks so much for the feedback! I was surprised by how many reviews my last chapter got! To answer most of your questions, yes this is a MULTI-CHAPTER fanfiction so there will be more than just a few measly installments. I have caught a few problems in continuity in my own work though. Unfortunately, I find the timeline in the episodes 52-102 a little confusing. Turns out that they only cover one school year and that the kids are nearing the end of their 7th grade year by 102. Well I've already put down that they are now in eighth grade so I'm just gonna keep running with it and apologize to any Kodocha purists out there! As for the other question, no I have not actually sat down and read any real copies of the manga, HOWEVER, I have read online translations of the stuff and know how it ends. Manga is so expensive to buy here and I haven't yet run across and copies I've wanted to buy. I do like the characters in the manga, but usually when a new comic is turned into anime, it translates differently. The characters shift a little and the relationships interact in new ways. I really enjoy the anime version of Kodocha and am very attached to the characters. I hope in my little fanfic to provide closure for all those fans that couldn't stand leaving Hayama and Sana's relationship so open-ended at the end of episode 102. I'm also glad you guys think the chapters have been cute. My main goal in this fanfic is to try and be as in-character as possible, so I'm going for realism so to speak. That means I'm trying to add some humor into the story as well as some intense drama. As other fans of the series know, the show specialized in big surprises and a little angst in parts of the characters' lives. Expect this story to turn that way soon!

Hayama Akito walked down the street to his school the next morning, caught up in his own thoughts. He had been eating breakfast with his annoying older sister Natsumi when she had leaned over and pointed out an article in one of her useless teen magazines.

"Look Akito, this is an article about Sana-chan! It says here that fans are curious about what's keeping her out of the spotlight recently. Her new TV show has wrapped from shooting for a month and rumors say she hasn't signed on to do any movies or commercials. People are wondering what she's up to! I haven't seen her around our house recently either. Do you know what she's doing now, Akito?"

Akito had blushed slightly at the questions his sister was asking. Hayama wasn't easily disconcerted but he hadn't yet adjusted to the idea of dating his long-time crush. Not to mention he kept forgetting how famous she really was. He would have to get used to all these questions digging into her personal life from both strangers and friends and family.

"Tsuyoshi-kun asked her the same thing yesterday at school and she only said she was taking a break from work so she could get some schoolwork done. It is near the end of the year, idiot, and she needs all the time she can get to study for exams. She's not exactly the brightest kid in school," Hayama said, trying to recover his composure.

"Idiot??!! Why you little turd, I was just asking a question! I haven't talked to her since the hospital a couple weeks ago, and then it wasn't exactly idle conversation!" Natsumi replied heatedly, "And you shouldn't insult her so much. She may not be the best student but she's the nicest, cutest girl I've ever met and a very talented actress!"

"Hmph" was all that Hayama responded with. The irony of the situation didn't escape him. His own sister was lecturing him about his girlfriend's finer points. He didn't know if he could let other people know he was dating her. He definitely didn't care what other people thought about him, but he wasn't a very open person and he wasn't sure if he should make a public update on his love life to his family. The very thought abhorred him, but it might be better than having Natsumi catch him and Sana in an embarrassing moment and then having to endure her teasing for months. He was sure his old man would be just as bad. The guy adored Sana and he was sure he'd make a big deal about her new connection to the Hayama family. Well as big a deal as the calm even-keeled man could make. Then again, he definitely had his own set of quirks and eccentricities as Hayama recalled with a cringe how the man would talk to the TV if Sana was on, acting as if she were really there and could respond to his invitations for her to stop by for dinner.

Hayama sighed, the hot moisture from his breath condensing into a visible cloud as a result of the cold morning. He kept walking to school, a neutral expression on his face as he dealt with his inner frustrations. No one seeing him pass by on the street would have guessed that he was having a hard time adjusting to this new phase in his life. He just wasn't sure what to do now. He had always wanted her, desired her both physically and emotionally, but he was unsure about how to transition from friendship to something more. How was he supposed to act around her?

At that moment, someone walking in the opposite direction down the sidewalk bumped into Hayama. It hadn't hurt, but the young boy was irritated by being rudely disturbed from his reveries by some clumsy idiot.

"Hey!" he exclaimed looking behind him, searching for the offender. All he saw was the retreating back of a tall man with dark wavy hair, a hint of silver-grey twisting through it haphazardly. The stranger was also wearing slightly ruffled clothing that looked like he had slept in the same suit a few nights in a row. He had his hands stuck deep into his pants' pockets and was looking down at the sidewalk as he strolled carelessly down the street. The man didn't respond to Hayama's cry of indignation and kept walking, but the young 14 year-old thought he caught a glimpse of a camera swinging from around the man's neck.

Hayama was still gazing after the rude offender when he heard a voice calling him. Sana came shooting from around the corner on the opposite side of the street, waving frantically at him. She quickly crossed at the cross-walk and came jogging up to stand beside him, breathing heavily from the exertion.

"Hey," she gasped in between pants, "I woke up five minutes early this morning and ran the whole way here!" she said, obviously impressed with herself.

"Wow, I didn't know you had it in you," Hayama said sedately, his deadpan manner lending itself well to his own dry sense of humor.

"Hey idiot! I thought you would appreciate the work I did for you! I had a hard time getting out of the door. Rei-kun kept pestering me with job offers," she said angrily, offended by his veiled insult. "I guess I'll just go find someone who actually cares to talk to me in the morning," she said in a huff, starting to stomp off in the direction of Jinbo Junior High.

"Sana..." Hayama said quietly, catching her by the elbow before she marched out of his reach.

The red-head turned around in surprise, her pigtails swinging in the cold morning wind. "Huh?" she questioned, looking up at Hayama with her round hazel eyes.

Hayama responded by pulling her closer to him, intertwining his fingers with hers and giving her an intense, serious look.

Sana felt her insides melt at his actions, a deep pool of heat settling heavily somewhere in her middle and sending a rush of hot blood to her cheeks, staining them a deep red. "Akito..." she whispered in response.

Hayama suddenly realized how unimportant all those other worries were when he gazed down at the short girl before him. They would work through the other stuff, no matter how hard it was. They would adjust as best as they could, because everything was worth this new intimacy with her, the fulfillment of his heart's deepest desire. She was everything he wanted.

Hayama almost leaned down to give his new girlfriend a mind-blowing kiss, but the jostling crowd around him reminded him they were in public. He almost threw decorum to the wind, rationalizing that he didn't care what these people thought about what was proper or not, but he didn't think Sana would like making out in front of total strangers. He also needed to think about her reputation. She was a high-profile actress and she didn't need new tabloid headlines. Instead he pulled her close to him and wrapped his arm around her waist, so they could walk down the street with her small body pulled under his protection.

Sana was once again shocked at the depth of emotion Hayama could show in public. Then again, maybe most people wouldn't consider the hard expression on his face as particularly revealing, but she could see the change in him after knowing him for so long. It warmed her heart to realize that she was the one who inspired affectionate behavior from him, and it reassured her that their new relationship was a good change. She felt happiness welling up inside of her, bursting out in her usual cheerful, exuberant disposition. As the pair walked towards school, Sana was humming and singing to herself, her eyes bright with sincere joy.

Hayama glanced down at the bubbly girl walking pressed against his side. He smiled inwardly to himself that he could finally call the silly ditz his girlfriend. Her natural happy outlook on life did sometimes annoy him, but he had to admit, she was a ray of sunshine illuminating his dark brooding mind. They walked like that for a few blocks in content silence until Sana exclaimed, "Akito, today is Friday and I'm still on break from work! Do you want to do anything tonight? Or do you have karate practice?" she asked performing a few of her own punches and kicks.

Hayama looked down in thought for a few minutes, surprised at her uncharacteristic forwardness. The dense girl was actually suggesting they go on a date! He replied, "No, I don't have to go to the dojo today. If you want you can come home with me and eat dinner with us. Natsumi was asking about you this morning."

"Really?!" Sana said happily. "It's been awhile since I've talked with your sister and dad. That would be a lot of fun to eat with them. Hey, we can stop and get some sushi on our way to your house after school!" she said while reaching up to pat Hayama on the head affectionately with a silly look on her face.

"Sushi?" Hayama commented, an eyebrow rising in obvious interest.

"Yup! Really tasty sushi!" she replied, grabbing onto Hayama's arm and leaning against him.

"Hayama-san! Sana-chan!" A young delicate voice called out the couple's names and the duo turned around to discover its source.

"Oh, Nakao-kun!" Sana called out happily in reply. She broke from Hayama's grip and ran the short distance to the young boy who had called them. She jumped up and down, rambling incomprehensible gibberish in her excitement. Hayama walked up to join the two and greeted the boy with his usual short greeting, "Yo."

"Nakao-kun, I can't believe you're going to school already! I was so glad when you got out of the hospital! Are you really feeling better, we can't have you getting weak again!" Sana continued to chatter on as the shy boy blushed at all the heart-felt attention. He was so used to being passed over by his peers he didn't know quite how to react to the excited 13 year-old girl.

"Yes, I'm feeling almost as good as new. Today will be my first day back. I can't believe all the work I've missed," he replied in his quiet delicate manner.

"Nakao," Hayama said, ignoring the continuous conversation still spilling forth from his girlfriend, "when do you think you will be ready to attend karate club again?"

"Oh yes, we haven't had a meeting since you went to the hospital. We've been waiting for you to get better!" Sana added

"Really? Waiting for me?" the boy queried. "Well, my doctor said I need to get a little exercise but that I can't overexert myself," he said, silently a little embarrassed that he was so obviously weaker than Hayama-san. In his eyes, he seemed so strong and indestructible. Nothing appeared to phase the serious youth.

"We can start slow to fit your doctor's orders. You can regain your strength back gradually with exercise," Hayama replied, giving the timid young boy a serious look.

"Ok Hayama-san. I think Monday after school will be good. I need to catch up on homework this weekend," Nakao said.

"HOORAY!" Sana yelled, suddenly dressed in a cheerleader's outfit, jumping in the air and performing splits, "We'll help you get strong again Nakao-kun!" she chanted, waving her pom-poms in the air.

"Thanks Sana-chan!" the boy laughed, his hand behind his head in embarrassment.

The trio then walked the rest of the way to school, Sana a little behind the boys as she kept yelling, cheering, and doing cartwheels down the sidewalk, Hayama pretending he didn't know the eccentric girl following him. In the school courtyard, Sana caught back up to her stoic boyfriend, pulling him aside for a moment.

"Akito," she whispered happily, "I'll sit with you at lunch ok?"

Hayama only raised his eyebrow at Sana's comment, slipping his hand back around her waist and pulling her closer to him again. He slowly started stroking her lower back and ran his other hand through one of her red pigtails.

"Ahh, you pervert!" Sana responded with her usual comment to Hayama's touching. "Do your hands ever stop wandering!?"

Her insult was a typical reaction to his behavior, but Hayama noticed she didn't hit him over the head, but rather, leaned slightly into his touch, a blush creeping back into her pale cheeks. His blood started boiling again with an intense heat and he quickly ducked his head down to peck her on the lips.

Sana was very surprised by the quick kiss, amazed by his daring, but then again she knew Hayama cared very little for the opinions of others. The moment was too quick for her to enjoy it, but her heart was pounding furiously in her chest. Would she ever get used to having his lips against hers or his hands against her body?

"Let's go, I'll walk you to class," Hayama said keeping his arm wrapped around Sana's waist as they walked into the school. Sana craned her head to look up at her tall boyfriend, a happy smile on her face.

The rest of the school day passed fairly uneventfully. No one seemed surprised or impressed that Hayama and Kurata were now holding hands down the hall. It was true the pair seemed to have wildly different personalities, but everyone was aware of how close they were too. They always defended each other and seemed to spend a lot of their free time together. At lunch, Sana walked into the cafeteria a little late since she had fallen asleep, once again, in math class and had awoken a little after the bell had rung. She spotted her friends' table and slipped into a seat next to Hayama shouting her hellos to Aya-chan, Tsuyoshi-kun, and Fuka-chan.

"Hey guys, would you believe I fell asleep in class again?" she laughed loudly.

"Yes I would actually," Aya-chan said laughing in response.

"Akito, could you help me with my math homework this weekend. I slept through my teacher's lecture, but I don't think I would have understood it if I had been awake anyway," Sana said looking at Hayama beside her.

"Hmph, I have as much hope in tutoring a rock in math," he replied dryly.

"HEY! I just asked you a favor, and who are you calling a rock?!" Sana replied indignantly, trying to ignore the mental picture his words created of a large smiling rock with red pigtails.

"You know you are hopeless in math. You won't understand anything I try to teach you so what's the point?" he said back.

"Well you could at least TRY you idiot! I'm not that stupid you know!" she said offended at his insults. "C'mon Aya-chan, tell him I'm not THAT dumb!"

When Sana turned to the rest of the lunch table's occupants, pleading for Aya-chan to intervene in the argument, all she saw were the dumb-struck faces of her friends.

"S...Sana-chan...did you just call Akito-kun by his given name?" Tsuyoshi-kun asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

Sana blinked for a moment in confusion before she suddenly laughed, forgetting her anger, "Yeah, I guess I did."

"But what does it mean? You've never called him that before that I can remember!"

"Figure it out idiot," Hayama commented, turning his head away in secret embarrassment at the information that was quickly coming out into the open.

"REALLY??!!" Fuka-chan shrieked in sudden comprehension.

"What?" Sana asked, looking around at her friends, still confused at what they were implying.

"Is it true Sana-chan? Are you and Akki a couple now?" Fuka asked in excitement.

"OHHH!" Sana said, her face turning a bright tomato-red. "Well, I guess...I mean yes we are actually," she said a bit confused and surprised by the question. All she could do was look down at her hands, steam practically coming out of her ears from her intense discomfort. She almost screamed out loud in surprise when Hayama's arm snaked around her waist again to pull her closer to him on the lunch table bench.

Their three friends fell out of their seats from shock after witnessing Hayama's sudden physical confirmation of her words.

"You two ARE a couple," Fuka clapped and laughed happily when she finally recovered from her surprise at Hayama's bold move. Tsuyoshi could only point a single shaking finger at the pair, his mouth gaping open. Aya only stared with wide eyes. It was several minutes before they erupted at once into boisterous chatter, bombarding the two with questions on when and how. Sana laughed off most of their questions, not wanting to give away details of the intimate moment and feeling very inexperienced. Even though she had technically gone out with Naozumi-kun a few months ago, she now realized that that had been more of a close friendship on her part. Her feelings for him couldn't rival the deep longing she felt to be with Hayama. Despite this firm belief that their new relationship was right, she couldn't ignore the embarrassment of having her love life talked about by her friends, or shake the feelings of awkwardness that came with holding hands and thinking of the tall quiet boy sitting next to her as her boyfriend.

While the others continued to interrogate Sana, Hayama stared off into space, trying to ignore the conversation entirely. There was no way they would ever catch him talking about her in endearing terms so openly as he heard other couples do. He hated how they turned their relationships into spectacles for others to see. He valued Sana more than just a middle school crush and he would keep what they had together a sacred and private affair. Then again, if he felt the urge to kiss Sana, he wouldn't hesitate to do so unless it might expose her to some uncomfortable attention. Suddenly, a wicked thought entered the crafty leopard's brain. He slowly moved his hand north from where it rested around Sana's waist until he barely brushed the side of her breast.

Sana had been chatting with their friends when she had felt Hayama move his hand. She didn't have time to feel mortified that he had groped her right in the middle of their school cafeteria because anger was the first emotion to surge to the surface.

"YOU PERVERT!" she screamed while bringing her fist crashing down on top of her sneaky boyfriend's head. "WHY CAN'T YOU KEEP YOUR DIRTY HANDS TO YOURSELF??!!"

Hayama got caught by the first few hits she swung at him, but managed to dodge her after he gained his bearings, saying in his normal calm tone, "I think you have grown quite a bit over the past year. Shouldn't you be wearing a bra now?"

Lunch ended with Sana desperately trying to catch Hayama to deal him more physical abuse, he and their friends trying to avoid being caught by her wrath. Eventually the bell rung and Sana stomped back to class, grinding her teeth and flames raging in her eyes.

A/N: ok guys that's it for now! I know there wasn't a lot of action this time but I felt this chapter had gone on long enough, so believe me when I say Sana and Hayama's relationship will be coming under fire from outside sources soon! Mwahaha!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N Wow it's been awhile and I am SO sorry this is overdue. I got caught up in end of the semester stress at college and then seemed to experience a burnout during Christmas break. I've been working and reworking his chapter for 2 months now trying to get it right, and I'm still not completely satisfied with it, but I figured I couldn't keep you guys waiting any longer when everyone gave me such sweet reviews. I just finished reading volume 10 of the Kodocha manga and enjoyed it thoroughly, although I still think I am a number one fan of the anime first. Fans of the manga I dropped a line from volume ten in this chapter, see if you can find it ;) For those of you who might be curious, I have decided to explore the physical side of Hayama and Sana's relationship just because they are both turning into teenagers and experiencing those pesky and distracting hormones. Sorry for you hentais out there but there will be no lemon, they are after all still kids! BUT since Miho Obana seemed to think her characters were old enough to at least think about sex and how it related to them in volume ten of the manga, I don't feel bad including some fluffy lime moments in my fanfiction. Review and tell me what you guys think!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kodocha and make no money from this humble fanfiction.

Hayama sat staring out the window of his classroom, waiting for the school day to finally end so he and Sana could spend the evening together eating dinner with his family. School had been bad before back when Sengoku-sensei had been undisputed master of the classroom, but at least it had provided interesting drama. Now after Sengoku's resignation he was stuck with a permanent substitute as his replacement. This guy droned on and on, never wavering from the lesson plan. Hayama snidely thought he would still continue lecturing even if the building came down around them during an earthquake. The lanky youth lazily swept his gaze over the classroom. He didn't even have the benefit of sharing a classroom with Kurata, he thought glumly, remembering all those highly charged conversations they had in sixth grade. He missed her magnetic energy; it seemed to anchor him in the present, holding his attention more than anything else in school ever did. Oh well, another half hour and he would be free from the claustrophobic confines of the room and outside in the fresh cold air, walking home with his girlfriend. Hayama turned his eyes back to the scenic view he had from his desk of the street and sidewalk in front of the junior high school's main entrance.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hayama suddenly noticed a man standing still on the sidewalk, his attention directed towards the school as if he were searching for someone inside. With a start, Hayama recognized the man as the same rumpled stranger who had bumped into him that very same morning. He was some distance away and the youth couldn't make out his features or expression, but identified the same wrinkled clothing and camera dangling from a strap around his neck. Why was he standing there at the school's front entrance?

Before Hayama could think about the perplexing occurrence any further, his attention was brought back to inside the classroom, his teacher calling his name several times.

"Hayama Akito please stop daydreaming and answer my question!" he snapped impatiently, showing an uncharacteristic display of emotion.

Hayama tried to focus in an effort to remember what this dumb teacher had been rambling on about while he was gazing out the window. He scanned the chalkboard, looking for any clues. All that was written on it was an algebra equation, a fairly simple problem that he could've solved with his eyes closed while his girlfriend Sana would have still been stuck trying to figure what all of the symbols meant. With a wry smile on his face he answered, "X -5 and Y 24"

The teacher's eyes were as round as saucers, evidently he had not thought Hayama had any clue about what the lesson was about and wouldn't have been able to answer the question. "Y..yes that's correct. Thank you Hayama but maybe you could make more of an effort to pay attention in class."

"Hmph, and maybe next time you think it your duty to 'teach me a lesson' you could pick a harder question to prove your point. I've been solving systems of equations for two years now," Hayama responded, his eyes filled with derision. Honestly, why did all of his classmates so readily defer to these adults? Just because they were older did not mean they were entitled to his respect. He quickly swept his eyes back to the window, checking for the rumpled stranger, but he had disappeared from view during the confrontation with his teacher. Who was that guy?

Hayama's teacher, meanwhile, stood at the front of the classroom gaping like a fish, not believing this boy's audacity. He was just about to transition into a heated lecture on manners and proper behavior at school when he was interrupted by the bell. Hayama quickly collected his things and left, not desiring to stay in the dull confines of the room any longer.

After collecting the appropriate books from his locker that he would need for the weekend, Hayama turned and saw Sana down the hallway chatting with Aya and Fuuka. With an inward grin, he wondered if she was still steamed at him for his little prank earlier in the lunch room. He approached the trio and greeted them, not surprisingly, with his standard "Yo", his face devoid of emotion as always. Fuuka and Aya responded cheerfully but Sana only turned a dark red in anger and started stomping away in the opposite direction of her boyfriend. Before she could put much distance between herself and her manhandling boyfriend, Hayama grabbed her by the crook of her arm, stopping her in her tracks. Sana, in her anger, whirled around to chew him out for his unforgivable behavior in the lunchroom, when she found herself pressed close against the teen. His arms quickly wrapped around her waist and as Sana looked up into Hayama's face she saw all she needed to see written unmistakably in his eyes. Apology, love, passion, and a few other emotions she wasn't aware of, all seemed to swirl in his intense hazel eyes. She felt her knees grow weak under the strain of such a powerful gaze. Once again she felt that peculiar jolt of electricity shoot up and down her spine as she realized just how much of their bodies were touching. "You shouldn't have done that in the lunch room you know, you pervert," Sana whispered, her voice obviously shaking and her eyes clouding over from the sensory overload wracking her body.

"Hey I doubt you'd let me touch you like that anyway so I thought I'd take the opportunity without your permission," Hayama replied back the slightest of smirks forming on his face. He definitely noticed Sana's reaction to his close proximity and he was enjoying himself almost too much considering they were still in public.

"Well if you thought a little more about the time and space, maybe you'd have gotten to touch them," she whispered back to him a little indignantly.

A look of confusion passed over Hayama's face until he said, "Don't you mean the time and place?" After he put the pieces together, his eyes narrowed and a predatory gleam entered his eye, a leopard tail sprouted and started swishing excitedly behind him. "So then you're saying I can touch them in private?"

The question still seemed a bit playful but Sana noticed his voice had changed somehow. It sounded deeper, with a raspy quality to it. What was happening to them? These feelings coursing through her were a combination of love and something else she wasn't fully aware of. It was intoxicating, like just being near Hayama was an addictive drug capable of sending her into a strange haze of feeling and passion. She felt like she needed something to happen but she wasn't sure what.

"I..I'm not sure exactly. I guess will just have to wait and see when the right time and space gets here," she responded in a quiet yet equally husky voice.

Hayama couldn't believe his ears. Sana was FLIRTING with him! Never in a million years did he think this sweet spunky girl could pull such a stunt. Granted the tease was offered in an unsure manner, but her tone of voice had caressed his ears, their whole conversation making him feel drunk with all the sexual tension. Hayama was very much aware of sex, techniques and all the other implications. He was not the type of boy to stay ignorant on any worldly topic for long. He, of course, had never put any of it into practice but he would be lying if he didn't occasionally envision all the possibilities he could explore with Sana. It was true they were still really only kids, but he was also aware of how pretty she was. Her delicate attractive face, fine red hair, slender graceful body, and long pale legs were permanently etched in his mind. He loved this girl and realized he wanted to touch her. ALL of her. He knew it was way too soon to think about going very far with her, but at that moment he greatly desired to at least see if they could do a bit more exploring with each other.

Hayama suddenly gripped Sana's arm tightly and began dragging her out of the school and down the street at a fast pace, his face set in a determined expression. The couple didn't notice the shocked expressions on Aya and Fuuka's faces, who hadn't actually heard their conversation, but had definitely seen their close interaction.

"AKITO!" Sana exclaimed in astonishment, "Where are we going and why can't you slow down?"

"I'm just trying to get to the 'right time and space' as you put it, as quickly as possible," he slowed down just enough to glance behind him and flash her a brief smirk.

"Oh!" Sana quickly blushed from head to toe when she realized what he was talking about. So her boyfriend really WAS serious about this. "Well don't you think we should stop and get some sushi first? And I need to call home and tell Mama that I'm eating at your house tonight," she said trying to change the topic. She was suddenly feeling very apprehensive about what might happen once they found themselves alone and in private. So far they'd only interacted in semi-public or public areas.

Hayama slowed down a little at her words, obviously weighing his options very carefully. It was true his overactive teenage libido was telling him to find a quiet corner somewhere, ANYWHERE to test the physical boundaries of their relationship, but Sana had a point, and their new-found status as a couple was still new. He could wait a little longer considering it had taken him this long and many sleepless nights to get to this point with her. Besides, she said sushi.

"Fine," he answered her, an edge of the frustration he was feeling evident in his voice, "Call your Mom from the kiosk over there and then we can stop at this grocery store," he said indicating a phone booth on the corner of the street, situated right next to a small food market.

"Yes SIR cap'n SIR!" Sana barked out mock-seriously, her hand poised in a rigid salute at her forehead, an army helmet perched jauntily atop her pigtails. She then executed a clumsy about-face and marched solemnly and in step to the phone booth all the while Hayama tried to act very nonchalant, hoping no one would think he was at all connected with the eccentric red-headed girl.

While Sana was enthusiastically calling home to ask permission to eat dinner with him later that night, Hayama stood restlessly in the middle of the sidewalk, trying to calm his raging hormones. He knew he was excited but he was feeling jumpy as well. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like they were being watched. Hayama stuffed his hands deep into his pockets, his mouth settling itself into a frown as he glanced nervously around. His eyes settled briefly on Sana in the kiosk, waving her arms around excitedly as she jabbered on with her mother on the phone. Next he looked across the street, but only saw people walking home from school and work, no one looking purposefully in his direction. And yet he still couldn't shake the strange instinctive feeling that he was under covert scrutiny. Before he could dwell on his melancholy thoughts any longer, Sana hung up the phone and bounded happily out of the booth over to where Hayama stood still looking around suspiciously.

"Akito!" Sana exclaimed happily, "Mama said it was alright if I eat dinner with your family tonight although she kept teasing me about it, asking me if there was anything going on, but I didn't feel like telling her about us yet, but then Rei got on the other phone and started scolding me for hanging out with you so much and then Mama raced downstairs in her little car and whacked him over the head with her mallet and I heard in the background that she said you were a very nice boy and I could marry you if I wanted in a few years!" By this time Sana was turning a bit blue in the face from talking so long without breathing. She stood gulping in fresh air while her boyfriend stared at her, resigning himself to the fact that he would never understand her strange family.

"Umm ok so how about we go get sushi now," Hayama said awkwardly, deciding he definitely didn't want to comment on Sana's long-winded story.

"Ok!" she said, her infectious smile giving a warm glow to her face. Hayama felt himself melting just looking at her happy expression. His blood warmed significantly when she next wrapped her own petite arms around one of his and leaned her head onto his shoulder. It felt so amazingly natural he almost couldn't believe she hadn't been doing it always. She belonged by his side, and despite her sometimes spacey and eccentric behavior, he knew that he had found a soul mate in the crazy red-haired actress.

Inside the grocery store, the young couple quickly found a decent sized sushi package that wasn't unreasonably priced and took it to the counter to pay for it. It was then that Hayama reached into the back pocket of his school uniform trousers that he realized his wallet was missing.

"SHIT!" he exclaimed, a look of extreme annoyance clouding his face.

"Huh?" Sana looked at him confused.

"I can't find my wallet! I had my allowance in there plus my school I.D. card!"

"Oh no! That's terrible!" Sana said, looking sympathetically at her boyfriend. "Well I have enough yen in my purse so I'll pay for the sushi!" She said trying to find a temporarily happy solution.

Hayama nodded absently and started retracing his steps outside, hoping he might have dropped it nearby. As he wandered down the sidewalk a few feet, he was concentrating so hard on finding his missing wallet that he almost ran into the man standing directly in his path. Hayama's eyes, intensely studying the surrounding pavement, suddenly focused on a pair of slightly worn black shoes. His gaze shot up and he found himself face to face with the elusive stranger he had sighted twice already that day.

"Looking for this?" The stranger said, his voice thick with sarcasm and an unsettling smirk gracing his thin twisted lips. His arms were crossed in front of his chest but in one of his hands he held a brown billfold, slightly worn from use.

Hayama's eyes narrowed as he spotted his wallet in the possession of the mysterious stranger. "That belongs to me," Hayama said cautiously, unsure of who this man was, what he was doing with his wallet, and why he seemed to be stalking him all day.

"Yes I know it belongs to you Hayama Akito, since it was from your back trousers pocket that I lifted it this morning, without your knowledge of course. A clever trick I learned while I worked abroad. Did you know that in almost every major city across the globe you can find those who are skilled in the ancient art of pick pocketing? Obviously you didn't because it was almost too easy relieving you of your possession".

The strange man's tone was now mocking and his gaze was hard steel. He seemed to have Hayama where he wanted him and the teenager concluded that this calculating man was more than just a common thief.

"What do you want? Why have you been following me all day?" Hayama asked, his normally stoic voice revealing his anger. He hated not being in control and this man seemed to be trying to push him into something. His fists clenched and he tried hard to control the violent impulses running through his brain, whispering to just take back his wallet and be done with the man.

"Ah yes I see you don't beat around the bush at all young man. Well now that we've come to it, what I wanted was first to find out the identity of the boy who seemed to enjoy the sweet romantic attentions of the famous actress Kurata Sana. After lifting your wallet and taking the liberty of glancing through it, I discovered your name, address, and that you are a student of karate. Now that I have that basic information, what I want now is for you to consent to an interview with me, answering all my questions about the status of your relationship with said famous actress." The stranger was grinning now and could barely contain his perverse amusement at Hayama's predicament.

Hayama looked at the man first in horror, then in absolute disgust and revulsion. He was nothing more than a sensationalist reporter, a man with dirty methods and ethics who gained information by any means necessary to sell to magazines.

"I should have guessed!" Hayama spat, his tone revealing his loathing for the stranger, "You know you and your kind are nothing better than whores. There is no integrity or dignity in invading other people's privacy just to plaster it across the media for the world to see. You leeches would do anything for money wouldn't you?"

"Ah yes the moral lecture again. I can't even count how many times I have heard it before, from indignant victims such as yourself. Needless to say it still leaves you in the same predicament and I do not yet have your answer. I must warn you that if you do not consent I will take what information I have already gleaned from photographing you two and observing you together and write the story without your cooperation. I am simply offering you a chance to go on record and tell the world the truth," the reporter replied, a bored expression on his face as if he were merely discussing a trivial everyday business transaction.

"So you're blackmailing us instead?" Hayama snarled, "that's not an offer! You said yourself that you are going to write the story anyway! You know we've dealt with invasive reporters before. What do you want? Is it the money that comes from selling your stories and photographs?"

"Yes well I'm not here to discuss my own situation, but since you seem to be in such a difficult frame of mind at the moment I'll give you 48 hours to make your decision. You must call the number I have left in your wallet before Sunday evening at 5pm because I will be submitting my article and pictures to run in the Monday issue of my magazine whether you give me an interview or not. Think about it and you should consider how my article might affect your girlfriend if you don't go on the record. Wouldn't want me to have to embarrass your sweet Sana now would you?" The manipulating reporter handed the teenager back his wallet and turned on his heel to disappear around the block, offering his final threat over his shoulder as if the two were ending a casual and friendly conversation.

Hayama Akito stood rooted to the spot on the sidewalk, crushing his wallet in one hand. Blood red color swam before his eyes as rage and desperation crashed through his brain. It figured that things with Sana had been going too well lately. It was too good to be true that fate would leave him and his Sana to enjoy their new-found romance for long.

It was at that moment that Sana arrived by his side, happily swinging a plastic grocery bag in her hands. "Akito! You found your wallet! I'm glad now we don't have to keep looking for it,"

Hayama started suddenly from his reverie, trying desperately to push his internal turmoil beneath the surface and appear normal in front of Sana. "Yeah…I found it…" he mumbled distractedly.

"Akito?" Sana asked, a sweet look of concern washing over her face as her happy excitement turned into seriousness, "Is everything alright? You look angry,"

Dammit! He should have known that she would have been able to read his emotions. It seemed as if she were the only person in the world who could consistently see behind his mask of stoicism and find the emotions within, especially when he wanted most to keep them hidden. Hayama quickly resolved to not tell Sana anything at the moment until he could think about the whole situation again when he was in a calm and reasonable state of mind. "It's nothing," he said simply.

"Oh, ok" Sana said, recognizing his trademark phrase that really translated into 'I don't want to talk about it right now'. Instead of pushing the issue, she slipped her free hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. She could see the cogs and wheels turning in his head and knew he was upset about something. She hoped it wasn't anything too bad.

Hayama glanced down at Sana's slender white hand entwined with his and felt some of the anxiety leak out of his body. She always seemed to have a calming effect on him whenever he was upset with something. He didn't feel any better about the reporter-situation but for the moment he felt like he could deal with almost any threat if he only had her by his side always. "C'mon, let's go see what Natsumi is making for dinner," Hayama replied and then dropped a sweet kiss on Sana's jaw line right below her ear, lingering only for a moment when he heard her breath catch in surprise.

Sana gazed adoringly up at Hayama and squeezed his hand even tighter. She loved this boy and knew he would tell her what was bothering him later when he was ready. Together they walked the several blocks to the Hayama family residence, holding each other's hands the entire time.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Ok guys, you can now officially shoot me. That's right, I know I'm a horrible person for not updating in such an unreasonable amount of time, but life gets in the way. I still feel horrible about leaving all of you guys hanging though. Rest assured however that I have no intention of abandoning this story line, but it will take some time to finish. I am a busy college student and lately, after writing all sorts of papers, I haven't felt up to finishing this story. But I will crank out the chapters given some time. Hope you guys enjoy this way past overdue fifth chapter of my story and still think its as good as my other stuff. Thanks once again for all the reviews. I do read all of them and they really keep me motivated to finish this.

As Akito and Sana walked into the Hayama residence, pausing to remove their shoes and don comfortable house slippers, they could hear water boiling on the stove and the general ruckus of someone setting out dishes on the countertop in the kitchen. As soon as they closed the front door, Natsumi stuck her head out of the kitchen doorway to see who had come home.

"Akito! Finally you're here! What took you so long, did you forget your way back home dummy?" Natsumi asked in a teasing yet still frustrated voice.

"Hey watch it bitch! We have company so I hope you made enough for a fourth for dinner," Akito shot back. Sana stepped into the living room from the foyer and Natsumi's irritated scowl gave way into a huge toothy grin at the sight of her favorite actress in her home.

"Kurata Sana!" she squealed in delight. "Of course you're welcome here. I'm glad you can put up with my brother enough to come spend an evening with us!"

Sana tried to stifle a giggle at this pointed and yet still affectionate sisterly jab, noticing Hayama's frown out of the corner of her eye. Instead she grinned back at Natsumi, "I hope you don't mind me showing up without an invitation but Akito told me it would be alright to come over,"

"Sure! It's actually a good thing you're here because Dad has been asking about you lately. He was commenting just the other night how long it's been since you've come by. Come on in and take a seat. Dad should be home in five minutes and then we can start eating," Natsumi amiably chatted on, all the while leading Sana invitingly into the comfortable living room and completely ignoring her sulky brother. "I actually can't stay long and visit with you unfortunately," continued Natsumi, "I promised some girlfriends to go out to the movies with them tonight so we'll just have to catch up as much as we can over dinner," smiled the older high school girl.

Hayama had been following his sister and girlfriend into the dining room, an annoyed expression on his face that his bratty older sibling had managed to totally monopolize Sana's attention, but he quickly perked up at the information that his sister was going out for the evening. Hayama already knew that his dad was leaving for the airport tomorrow morning for a weekend-long business trip and would more than likely retire early for the night so he could be ready and refreshed for his early flight. Several very agreeable scenarios quickly passed through Hayama's brain on how he and Sana could spend their Friday night now that the house promised to be quiet and deserted.

As Hayama knelt down at the dining room table on his own soft cushion, he heard the front door open and close and the unmistakable sound of his father arriving home. Sana and Natsumi were busy in the kitchen chatting and finishing up with dinner as his dad tiredly came in, briefly greeted his son, and then strode down the hallway to his bedroom where Hayama knew he was depositing his briefcase at his desk. He arrived back a few minutes later, his tie disposed of and his jacket unbuttoned, and yet still looking the role of an impeccable Tokyo businessman. Only the dark circles under his eyes told a different story from his smart looking appearance and unforgiving quiet reserve. Hayama-sama glanced at the doorway to the kitchen and then back to his son asking,

"Is Natsumi almost ready with dinner?"

"Yes," Hayama answered in his usual forthright manner while unflinchingly gazing back at his father.

"You remember don't you, Son that I must leave for a business trip early tomorrow morning correct?"

"Yes," Hayama answered once again, his countenance never changing.

Hayama-sama nodded to himself. He needn't even mention the subject with his son. He knew Akito could read him intuitively and recognized that his father was asking him to act responsibly while he was away and get along with his sister. Not for first time did the elder Hayama reflect on the intense and oftentimes intimidating personality of his son. He was serious and thoughtful, daring and disrespectful, and yet mature and discerning beyond his years. How could he not have valued his son before when he was still a small boy?

At that moment, Sana appeared in the doorway bearing a serving bowl of steaming rice and a huge grin on her face.

"Good evening Hayama-san! I hope you don't mind me showing up for dinner." Sana beamed at the older man, placing the serving dish on the low table and then making a polite bow.

"Sana-chan!" Hayama's father spoke in his smooth calm voice, but Akito could tell that he was truly pleased to see the young actress in his home. "Oh of course you are welcome here."

And with that the four sat down for dinner, chatting pleasantly about school and work. Hayama was silent for most of the meal, content to observe his girlfriend cheerfully answer the questions his family threw at her about both her personal and professional life. Akito's face dropped into an even more serious expression (if such a thing is possible) as once again he considered his predicament with the invasive reporter. Sana's life was already under a microscope from both strangers and friends. For the world to find out about their relationship would be to expose yet another part of Sana. Was she allowed nothing private in her life? It seemed ridiculous that all of Japan could really care that much for a silly 13 year old girl, but he knew that her bubbly and vivacious personality on camera made her endearing in the hearts of all who watched her.

"Well, everyone, I must begin packing for my trip and doing a little work to get ready for my meeting in the morning. Be back by midnight Natsumi. Goodnight everyone," Hayama's father said as he stood from the table, and with a small smile wearily entered his bedroom/study.

"Goodnight Hayama-san!" Sana called after the middle-aged business man as she too stood, and started clearing the table. "Don't worry about the dishes Natsumi-chan," she added, "I'll do them for you so you can get ready to go to the movies."

Hayama's sister protested for a few minutes about the guest doing all the work, but soon gave in to Sana's insistence. "Well alright Sana-chan, as long as you make my stupid brother help you!" Natsumi glared at Akito, daring him to contradict her clear and unmistakable orders. The boy just rolled his eyes at his older sibling and sighed in defeat, standing to join his girlfriend in the kitchen.

While the two junior high schoolers started their chore, they heard Natsumi yell a quick goodbye before leaving the house to join her friends. Sana and Akito continued washing the dishes in silence, Hayama's brow furrowing as he gave into his worries and mulled over his problem with the reporter. Sana noticed that he was looking more formidable than usual and decided to try her luck.

"Akito," she asked, "is there something wrong? You look worried." When her boyfriend didn't respond for five minutes she waved the clean plate she had been washing in front of his face, sprinkling him with drops of warm water.

"ACCK!" he bellowed, Sana's trick startling him from his dark reverie. "What is wrong with you?" he accused a little sharply.

"Oh nothing's wrong with me, but I'm pretty sure there is SOMETHING wrong with you," Sana retorted, sticking out her tongue while pulling down the skin around her eye, making a silly face.

Hayama's eye twitched slightly while he ground his teeth together in irritation. How was it that Sana could always see the thoughts he wanted to keep hidden, and remain oblivious to the ones he wanted her to see! If only she had been perceptive enough two years ago to know he liked her then. Now when he wanted to keep a secret from her, his usually impenetrable stone face couldn't keep her fooled. Never one to like defeat, he replied flatly, "It's nothing"

"Oh SURE it's nothing!" Sana sang in a high mocking voice. Next she dropped her smile into a stern expression, her acting skills proving they were up to the challenge of imitating a severe looking Hayama. "I'm sure there's something wrong when you look like this. You could scare an axe-murderer away!"

Sana leaned closer, keeping her face still in its imitation of her boyfriend's equally stony glare, hoping to discompose him with her unusually harsh gaze. Soon they were touching nose to nose, the dishes forgotten in the sink, each refusing to blink as a contest of wills began. To Sana's surprise, without losing eye contact, Akito suddenly closed the distance between them, hungrily pressing his mouth against hers in a way that Sana would never have believed him capable of. His kiss was so contrary to his typically stoic countenance; his lips were expressive as they engaged hers with the exuberance of a young teenager. Sana's first reaction to his amorous ambush was shock and fear, not unlike the previous times he had kissed her. His passion was intimidating for someone who had only recently learned how to look into her heart and reconcile herself to these new mature feelings and desires, but she would not even think of pushing him away like she had before. As frightening as this new experience was, she also felt desire of her own, and not a little amount of awe. In many ways she still viewed Akito as she did herself, kids, just like they had always been. Akito apparently didn't seem to share this opinion, however, since he was attacking her mouth with an insistency that could not be fought against or mistaken for anything childish in nature. In fact, she was shocked once again when his hands quickly reached out, grabbing her hips and pulling her body up against his lanky torso. All she could do was yield to him and hang on for dear life. She had never felt so awkward, vulnerable, or unsure in her life, and yet she had never felt so loved either.

Sometime during the middle of the kiss, Sana realized that she had been had. Not only had her sneaky, crafty, wily, no-good boyfriend manage to sidetrack her interrogation, he was also currently sneaking a hand up from her waist, along her side, and slowly creeping toward her breast. She had to stop this and get things back on topic.

"AKITO!" She wrenched her mouth away from his and yelled right in his ear.

Hayama, who had not been expecting this assault on his hearing, had, only seconds before, been silently congratulating himself on managing to shut up his silly girlfriend all the while engaging in some of his favorite scenarios from past fantasies. Now he was confused and angry, lying on the floor, his face contorted in pain and his aura reflecting his frustration.

"What is WRONG with you, you crazy girl!" he moaned, all the while clutching his head.

"C'mon Akito, you need to tell me what is bothering you instead of just trying to grope me," she wheedled.

Hayama inwardly moaned at Sana's tenacity at both stopping a very pleasant activity just before he was allowed to caress her where me most wanted to, and also bringing up the one topic he so desperately wanted to forget, if only for a little while.

"Alright alright," he sighed, dragging himself off the kitchen floor and reluctantly guiding her into the living room where they could sit on the sofa and talk. Once they sat down he moodily stared off into space for awhile until Sana nudged him with her elbow, looking on expectantly. With another sigh, Hayama finally gave in and told her about his confrontation with the strange reporter, how he had spotted him before, and their conversation outside on the sidewalk while she had been buying sushi. Sana listened attentively and Hayama was surprised that she did not show much emotion during the story. In fact, she seemed to be taking it pretty well. Despite her serious, but calm countenance, he could feel his own voice becoming tight with anger as he repeated the despicable reporter's threats. When he finished, he sat back, waiting for her reaction. They sat in silence for a few minutes, only the sound of the second hand on the living room clock filling the dead space in the conversation.

"I'm not afraid of reporters, Akito." Sana replied steadily after a few minutes of quiet had gone by.

Hayama arched an eyebrow as he gazed back at Sana, his arms crossed over his chest and his entire body posture clearing regarding her previous statement as no help to the situation.

"That's fine Sana, but what should we do? I really don't want to let this guy get away with this. I don't want to give him what he wants but I won't let him publish lies about you either," he said, his voice still tight with frustration.

"I say we do nothing. I've had plenty of people publish stuff about me that was not true or misleading. They can be hurtful but I've gotten used to it. I really don't pay any attention to the media in the first place. But I really don't want you to have to give an interview to this guy. Plus if we let him have his way this time, he, or someone else, will just come after us the same way again.

His girlfriend's argument was convincing, but the whole situation still rubbed the young teen the wrong way. He was used to being the one in control, calling the shots, and intimidating others. He'd be damned if he let anyone get the best of him. At this point, Hayama could recognize that while he was still concerned about his girlfriend, this had also turned into a matter of personal pride. After a few minutes of internal struggle however, he finally capitulated to Sana's idea.

"Alright, we'll ignore this for now and see what he does. I'm still not done with this guy though," he said darkly. He still sat there scowling until Sana unexpectedly pecked him quickly on the mouth, her hand squeezing his shoulder as she leaned over him.

Hayama was surprised, but was never one to let a good opportunity go by, so he grabbed the back of Sana's neck with one hand and twined his hand in the material of the back of her blouse, hauling her small petite frame across the short distance that separated them so that she was straddling his lap.

Sana was blushing furiously at the provocative position she was now in and was seriously thinking of moving off of him to save her the discomfort of the awkward situation. Hayama realized as well the danger of his girlfriend sitting on his lap while she was still in the skirt of her school uniform. He noticed that certain areas of her anatomy seemed very distinguishable through her clothing. His own cheeks stained faintly with his own blush, but he refused to back down. Sensing her own hesitation, he softly and gently leaned in to kiss her full lips, stroking her bare arms in comfort and less in passion. She soon relaxed and Hayama was finally able to enjoy the quiet, yet utterly fulfilling activity of kissing his beloved girlfriend.


	6. Chapter 6

Drifting through a murky sea of disconnected scenes, Hayama suddenly focused unexpectedly on a familiar face lazily drifting past his line of sight. He attempted to focus on the details, her flushed pink cheeks, soft parted lips, and red glossy hair waving around her visage erratically. Slowly he took notice that her eyes were closed, and a sudden strong impulse took hold of him, a desperate need to see conscious expression in those eyes as she gazed back at him. At his first attempt to draw closer to her, he noticed that his body felt weighed down, impossible to move forward by whatever invisible force that was holding him back. Upon this realization, Hayama felt panic seize his heart, and he tried to call out to her instead, but he couldn't seem to shake the lethargy from his mind or form any type of words with his mouth. Only able to croak a few sounds, the dark matrix swimming around them both mockingly threw the noise back into his face. To his horror, he could only watch as new dark specters appeared, malevolent shapeless forms that closed in around her. Suddenly, her eyes shot open and stared unseeingly out into the dark, terror and confusion distorting her features. Her mouth seemed to be forming words, calling for help.

'No!' Hayama thought desperately as the specters permanently removed her from his view. 'No, she belongs with me! You can't take her!'

Without warning, the scene shifted before his eyes and he beheld the wicked smirk of a familiar man, his salt and pepper hair standing out against his deathly pale skin. His eyes shone with a merciless light, delighting in Hayama's frustration and panic.

'Bring her back!' he tried to scream, but only a croaking sound came out of his uncooperative throat.

The man's face only hardened further at this. He was steel and iron, forged from some demonic hell-fire furnace. Hayama looked in vain for any cracks in his face that could possibly reveal some sort of humanity lying beneath the surface. He could see none.

Now in complete desperation, the young teen thrashed wildly against his invisible restraints, willing away the paralysis from his mind and body.

"Sana! Sana! SANAAA!!"

With a desperate gasp of breath, Hayama Akito suddenly bolted upright from his futon. Wildly out of control heartbeats ringing in his ears, he distractedly rubbed his face as he attempted to regain his bearings. He was in bed, damp sweaty sheets wrapped in a constricted manner around his body, the first light of dawn peeking through his window.

'A dream…' he thought to himself willing his heart rate and breathing to return to normal. Oh but what a dream it had been! His wet bangs hanging in his eyes, he purposefully blanked his mind with the same discipline he used in his karate. Instead of drifting through a swimming darkness of confusion like in his nightmare, he embraced a new white nothingness of peace and calm.

A knock on the door.

"Hai" Hayama answered in his normal calm voice.

His bedroom door cracked open and his father stood in the entryway.

"Akito, I thought I heard you call out. Were you having a nightmare?" he asked with that quiet way of his.

"It was nothing…" he shrugged off.

His father nodded, but his perceptive eyes narrowed a bit, acknowledging his son's uncomfortable dismissal of the topic.

"Well…I am on my way to the airport now, and your sister will probably sleep for a while longer. Please remember what we talked about at dinner the night before…"

Hayama nodded, hearing the unspoken reminder to act as the man of the family during his father's absence.

"And Akito?"

Hayama looked his father in the eye, raising his eyebrow in question.

"Take care of yourself son. Try and have fun as well this weekend, perhaps with Kurata Sana. I do not like to see you looking so stressed."

Hayama allowed himself a slight upturn of the corner of his mouth.

"Sure…Outu-san."

"Plop plop plop" cheeks inflating and deflating reminiscent of a fish and eyes squinted closed.

"Blaaaaaaaaaaah" tounge-lolling to the side, hanging out of a mouth with eyes crossed stupidly.

"Eeeeeeeeee" lip curled up over the top teeth and eyes pulled down revealing the whites of the eyes.

"GAAAH!" screeched Rei as he suddenly entered Sana's confectionary pink bedroom, only to find the little princess of the house sitting in front of her mirror, her reflection a ghoulish looking face and banshee like noise nearly scaring his morning coffee out of him involuntarily.

"Heeeey Reeeiii-kuuuun!" Sana hissed, still exposing her white teeth and eyeballs, looking very skeletal in the process.

The pale and sweating manager leaned heavily against the door frame. "Sana-chan! Breakfast has been ready for almost fifteen minutes and you KNOW we have to discuss several job offers this morning and I find you making faces in the mirror? Do you WANT me to die from a heart attack by age 40?!"

"Haha!" Sana rolled onto the floor holding her sides as she laughed at her silly manager hyperventilating with stress. "Oh Rei-kun, settle down! I was getting ready, only I've been having trouble trying to decide what I want to do with my hair lately….and then I started thinking about spiking it all over my head, and THEN I started thinking about what fun it would be to play a hideous demon in a monster movie!"

Sana quickly stood up, pulling her loose hair in front of her face and doing a good impersonation of a zombie. She swayed back and forth, her muscles relaxed and limbs flailing as her tongue hung out of her mouth and her eyes stared straight ahead in a dead unfocused way.

"Noooooo!" Rei-kun whimpered, holding what appeared to be three different scripts in front of his face as he kneeled in a corner of the room, trying to shield himself from the gruesome image.

"Why do you want to do something different with your hair anyway? You've had those pigtails since you were a little girl and you know you look cute with them. They're your TRADEMARK!" Rei desperately asked, hoping to deflect the conversation.

From his position on the floor, shielding his face, Rei noticed how quiet the room suddenly became.

"Huh?" he squeaked?

"Yeah….sure I've had it always." Sana replied absent mindedly, staring back at herself in the mirror as she held her hair up in the traditional pigtails with her hands.

"Well!" Rei started, brushing off Sana's sudden change in mood, "Hurry down because I really want you to look at this radio show offer. I know you don't want any work to interfere with school right now and this would be a much more low stress gig…" he trailed off as he wandered back down the hall.

"Hmmmmmm" Sana concentrated on the face looking back at her seriously in the mirror. Rei-kun had been partially right. She had worn the pigtails since early childhood and they were her recognizable trademark. But….

On a whim she let go of the hair she was holding up, grabbed her brush and fluffed her soft shiny red hair into flattering waves around her face. Slowly she brought the tips of her fingers to her lips, drifting into memory and savoring the sensations that they evoked.

"Akito…"

He had loved her as an infatuated child with a steadfast fidelity years ahead of his time. He had always been the perfect dichotomy of boy and adult in her eyes, a youth forced to grow up too soon. He was strong, mature, responsible, and independent. She had resisted initially the terrifying notion of an even closer relationship with him, the boy who could pierce her façade, her soul, with one look of those deep hazel eyes. Now she feared it no longer. Already she felt the effects. She was learning to lean on him more just as he had learned to gain comfort from her support early in their relationship. Not only was she getting older, she felt like she was becoming something more than she was before. At such a turning point in her life, the pigtails seemed too girlish. At thirteen and a junior high student she had the dilemma of wanting to hold onto her carefree childhood, but also wanting to see what else she could grow into.

With a sudden and impulsive decisiveness, she ran her fingers through her loose hair and then skipped happily down the stairs to the dining room, singing out her greetings to the household like always.

Hayama stumbled a bit drowsily into the kitchen, his backpack with karate uniform folded neatly inside slung over one shoulder. He noticed a small pot of miso soup still warming on the stove and quickly made a grab for it, hoping to get something on his stomach before he headed to the dojo for some extra practice time.

"Good morning dear little brother," an equally groggy Natsumi greeted while digging around in the refrigerator.

"Yo," he replied while quickly gulping down the broth. "Got any rice made?"

"Here, there are these leftovers from dinner last night. Oh! And before you take off, someone left this for you under the door this morning sometime after Dad left," she said, handing him a small bowl of cold rice, as well as a long envelope with only his name scribbled in kanji across the seal.

Hayama's eyebrows furrowed as he examined the plain envelope. He was about to open it right away when he noticed Natsumi flicking her eyes in his direction as she finished putting together an informal breakfast. He'd leave perusal of the envelope's contents for a more private setting. Slipping it quickly into his back pocket, he went back to devouring the rice, chopsticks in one hand, bowl in the other as he casually leaned against the counter. While their father was in town, the Hayama family usually practiced more formal dinners, with their dad making every effort to come home at a reasonable hour for the meal. Whenever he really was too busy or out of town however, the two siblings reverted back to grabbing whatever food Natsumi felt like throwing together on their own time.

"Hey, I'm going to be studying most of the day here for a big test coming up next week. Try and keep it down when you get back from practice. I'll leave food in the fridge for you to scrounge for later," Natsumi said before shuffling off to the bathroom for a shower.

After he heard the door close down the hall, Hayama pulled out the envelope from his pocket, chopsticks thoughtfully dangling from his mouth, and the half-eaten bowl of rice almost forgotten in his left hand. He placed it in front on him on the counter as we casually went back to eating, staring at the piece of ordinary paper and his name written on it, almost sizing it up. After rinsing out his bowl, he slowly and deliberately reached for the envelope, sliced it open with a kitchen knife, and dumped out the contents on the bare counter.

His eyes narrowed.

Quickly shoving the items back into the envelope, he then angrily crammed the whole thing into his pants' back pocket and jerkily ran his fingers through his brown hair in complete frustration. With his jaw clenched tightly together and his breath moving quickly in and out through his flaring nostrils, he tried to control the bubbling rage within with the familiar mental exercises of karate so that he wouldn't lose complete control and put his fist through the drywall.

This couldn't be happening. How could his precious, hard earned relationship with his beautiful, loving, selfless Sana be construed and manipulated in such a crude way. With every ounce of his self-control, he forced the red swimming before his eyes to drain away leaving the mind-numbing white of meditation. His breaths evened into deliberate controlled inhales and exhales. After his extremities fully released all of their tension, his eyes opened with their familiar detached expression, only now with the kind of determination that would give even the most seasoned professional assassin chilling nightmares. Rage had left Hayama Akito's lanky 14 year old frame, but murderous intent remained.

Several hours later, Hayama exited his karate dojo still wearing his sweaty uniform from the more vigorous than usual workout. His disheveled hair swayed slightly in the chilly air, the sharpness of the breeze cooling his blood as it plastered his damp uniform even closer to his tightly muscular body. He refused to shiver in the air, perversely enjoying the brutal contrast to the oppressive warmth of the dojo. His backpack with his street clothes hung haphazardly over one shoulder which he impatiently readjusted as he prepared to walk straight home, shower, and then put his budding plan into action.

Before he could take three steps down the sidewalk however, he glanced up and stood still in surprise.

"Akito!" Sana stood not thirty feet away, her red hair waving enticingly in the breeze from under a beret sitting at a fashionably jaunty angle on her head. Her skirt also rustled in the wind, almost taunting him to come closer and touch her long legs, beautiful in white knee socks.

Sana, seeing that she had caught her boyfriend's attention, rushed forward in the excitement of seeing him for the first time that day, and launched herself into his arms.

"Akito! Why haven't you changed into your clothes! You'll catch a cold out here in this wind! C'mon let's go back to your house. Did you have fun doing all your super-cool karate moves this morning?" Sana fired off one sentence after the other not pausing for a response. She finally focused her attention at Hayama's face, seeing for the first time that day the growing look of passion in his eyes that she now recognized he held only for her. A blush staining her cheeks, she asked in an awkward voice, "What Akito? Why are you looking at me like that? Is it what I'm wearing?"

Although his face never faltered from his normal stoic expression, his eyes narrowed with her question, and in a sudden rush of breath he said with passion beyond his years, "What you're wearing? Yes, it's what you're wearing! That skirt, those socks, that adorable jacket and hat, your hair blowing free in the wind…" he ran one hand through her tresses while the other suddenly grabbed her hip. "But it's not just that, it's your voice, your loving heart, and those expressive eyes….your eyes haunt my dreams Sana!" And with that, the stress he had been fighting against for the last 24 hours finally broke him into sharp ragged pieces and he crushed his girlfriend against his chest, leaned down, and took complete possession of her mouth with his.

Shocked by his suddenness, Sana knew something terrible had happened this morning to cause Hayama to react so wildly, lowering his inhibitions so thoroughly, but she couldn't bring herself to move away from him and ask him what was wrong. Instead, everything inside of her melted upon hearing his words and feeling his lips against hers. She couldn't help but gasp when he suddenly snatched her up into his arms and ducked behind a tall wooden fence bordering the street. He pressed his advantage and snuck his tongue into her mouth, caressing her from within while his hands glided passionately over her flared hips, small waist, and arched back.

All Sana could do was lean heavily against him, clutching the back of his uniform in one small fist while her other hand stroked the skin of his chest revealed between the low vee of his top. Finally, she forcibly turned her face away to breathe in the cool air, moaning lightly when Hayama refused to stop kissing her, turning his lips instead to her neck and ending with a small bite to the skin just below her ear.

Hayama, hearing the sweet sound of Sana breathing his name whispered feverishly into her hair. "Oh Sana….I love you! I'll never let anyone take you from me…."

"Akito…what do you mean?" Sana gasped, trying to make her mind focus on his words. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise I'll always be with you from now on. We're going to grow up together." Though Hayama's kisses had almost reduced Sana to an incoherent pile of mush, a flash of unexpected insight passed suddenly through her mind, seeing images of a young scared Akito as a child desperately reaching out to hold onto the mother he never knew. The boy who worked all his life for control, lost it only when his need for those he loved was threatened….His soul was dark, throbbing with an angst she had never felt herself but was coming to understand as she saw more of his vulnerable heart.

Hayama's response to Sana's words was to tighten his hold even more, his hands stroking her from neck down to hip and back again, his lips desperately peppering her as he tried to reign in the confusing rush of love, lust, fear, and possessiveness that his young mind was almost incapable of processing.

"Yes, we are going to grow up together my Sana," he whispered, "You know you have taken control of my heart since I met you, you made it live again and it can't survive without you. But Sana….we have to talk, I don't have good news."

Pulling back to look her boyfriend in the eyes, Sana saw the tightening of anger and frustration in his normally blank face and whispered back, "Akito….tell me everything."

A/N: Surprise!! Several years older and determined to bring closure to this heart-felt project of mine, I have fabulous plot-bunnies in store for all of you if you are still interested.


End file.
